ready mix paints or powder paints in FS2

hi
just started in reception and they are using ready mix paints which are put out by the adults in a morning
do you use powder paints? if so do the children use these independently to measure out and mix?
just wondered what others use thanks

Our nursery and reception both use ready mixed powder paints on the easel and then are able to work on one of the benches mixing their own colours. They are given six small pots of different coloured powder paints, a palette for mixing. a pot of water for washing the brush and a small sponge to dry it. Nearly all children leaving FS are able to paint in this way unfortunately it is not built on as they move up the school. A bit like scissor skills!

I think there is probably a very strong argument for letting children mix their own powder paints, exploring the changing states of dry and wet powder, and the changing colours.
However, if we want children to have access to paint regularly, often or even constantly then ready mix is going to be preferable to the busy EY teacher!
They can still explore different colours quite freely with mixing palettes.
My school art store was moved to a smaller stock cupboard a while ago and lots of old and rarely used equi[ment and resources were going to be chucked out. We were invited to salvage anything we wanted for our classrooms. I rescued a dozen tins of old fashioned water-colour paints, the ones with little solid blocks of paint.
They are the easiest thing to set out and clear up. There's lots for the children to explore in mixing colours, use of water, choice of brush, and because they are so compact they work well outdoors and other places away from the classroom. They're really good for observational work too.
A valuable alternative to powder and ready mix.

We taught our F2 children to use powder paints this Sept. We started with lots of adult input to teach method water, sponge, powder mix. Had visual photos to remind them. started with 2 colours and they now have 5. They independently get their own resources and colour mix really well now. The first half term they tended to just do lots of blocks of colour but now they do their own actual paintings. They clear up afterwards too.

I think you need to think about what the children can learn from using paint. If we give them ready mixed colours with a pre-prepared consistency they do not have the learning opportunity that they have from creating their own colours from primaries. Ditto their own tickness of paint by using powder. You just need to spend a little time teaching them how to mix powder paints properly. Plus powder is about 9x cheaper than ready mixed.

I think you need to think about what the children can learn from using paint. If we give them ready mixed colours with a pre-prepared consistency they do not have the learning opportunity that they have from creating their own colours from primaries. If you put out green, then it is likely that the children will just use the "green" without exploring the possiblilities of green. I had a little boy in my class a couple of years ago who spent a whole afternoon filling a massive sheet of paper with different greens that he made himself by mixing blue and yellow. The children will learn much more my making their own thickness of paint by using powder - for example if you have an upright easel, then they will learn that if they make runny paint (which is the general problem at the start) it will run down the paper and spoil their work - whereas thick paint will work well. You just need to spend a little time teaching them how to mix powder paints properly. Plus powder is about 9x cheaper than ready mixed.

Quite convincing Leapyearbaby.
I may talk to the art co-ordinator about powder paints from the next budget (he's just spent up for this financial year!).
I know our whole school used nothing but powder paint with the previous art co-ordinator but this one has bowed to the pressure of pleasing harassed teachers.

thank you for that link - so inspirational
powder paints do seem to offer so much more than ready mix and in the current financial climate is cheaper
we have two easels so maybe one of each and see how it goes
thanks for all your replies they all have valid points and something to consider

Had never even dreamt of using powder paints until I saw this thread; on all placements and now at work there has been ready-mix paint; I still encourage children to colour mix by only putting primary colours out but the picture from abc does is (as usual!) inspiring! May have to see if we have any powder paints in school now!